Trump says China, Japan approve of his N Korea strategy

President Donald Trump said Saturday that China is glad he's working on a diplomatic solution to the North Korean crisis rather than "going with the ominous alternative" and that Japan is "very enthusiastic" about the agreed-to talks.

Trump has spoken with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since Thursday's announcement that he was willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump tweeted that he and Xi spoke about that agreed-to meeting and that Xi "appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative."

Trump had previously threatened North Korea with "fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Trump also said China, North Korea's most important ally and trading partner, "continues to be helpful!" Trump has repeatedly urged China to do more to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear program.

Trump said in another tweet Saturday that Abe is "is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea" and that the two discussed how to narrow the U.S.-Japan trade deficit. Trump wrote, "It will all work out!"

Trump misspelled Xi's first name as "Xinping" in the first version of his tweet about China but later corrected it.

Trump said he believes North Korea will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests while he prepares for a summit by May with the Kim.

Trump noted in a tweet that North Korea has refrained from such tests since November and said Kim "has promised not to do so through our meetings."